Man attacks police officer with switchblade at Delta nursing home

A man was taken into police custody yesterday, after attacking an officer with a switchblade at a nursing home in Delta.

According to police, the incident happened after officers were called to a senior’s care home where staff were concerned about the family member of a patient.

“The man was agitated after learning of his mother’s imminent passing, and alert nursing staff called police prior to his arrival,” said a statement from Delta Police.

Police attended the care home and while they were speaking to the man, “he engaged police in a sudden and unprovoked knife attack, causing a laceration to the face of one police officer.”

At that point, officers backed away, and “displayed both a pistol and a conducted energy weapon” in an attempt to subdue the male.

Police said that despite the officer’s injuries, he “continued attempts to communicate verbally with the male, resulting in a successful de-escalation with no use-of-force.”

The 60-year-old man remains in custody, and is facing pending charges of assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, uttering threats, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and possession of a prohibited weapon.

“Last night’s events were highly elevated and dangerous, but through appropriate de-escalation it was peacefully resolved,” said Delta Police Deputy Chief Norm Lipinski.